Stop and turn signal



June 18, 1935. F. MAMIYA STOP AND TURN SIGNAL Filed July 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l @bto wm June 18, 1935. MAMlYA 2,005,658

STOP AND TURN SIGNAL Filed July 5, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fusajzra Mami ya Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED STATES STOP AND TURN SIGNAL 7 Fusajiro Mamiya, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 5, 193 3, Serial No. 679,058

- 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to automobile stop and turn signals of the type forming the-subject matter of my previous application, Serial Number' 668,323, filed. April 28, 1933, and more particularly has to dowith improvements in the fluid operated actuator therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide a fluid operated'actuator of comparatively'simple, compactand inexpensive form which will be reliable inoperationand insure an accurate and effective performance of the signal at all times.

Another object is to provide in a signal actua-- tor such" as described a novel and effi'cient means for controlling the operation of the actuator in such manner that any one of the various signals may be displayed at the will of the operator.

A further object is to provide an actuator such as described which is characterized by a novel automatic-atmospheric air intake valve operating to admit atmospheric pressure fluid to the working cylinder in such manner as to simplify and render more reliable the control valve as well as the signal device as a whole.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing,'-will be set forth in the following descrip tion of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the' specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the signal and actuator of this invention;

- Fig; '2iis a sectional view taken on the plane of line 2-"2 of Fig. 1; I

"Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the control valve;

' Fig. '4 is a schematic view of the actuator and control means therefor;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the signal of this invention as when installed on an automobile. One embodiment of the present invention, as shown-in detail in the accompanying drawings, comprises a semaphore type signal A adapted to be secured on an automobile B, as shown in Fig. 5, by means of bracket C and which is operated by the fluid pressure actuator D. This actuator is'connected with the intake manifold of theautomobile engine, (both of. which latter are not shown) in any well known manner and is controlled by a manually operated valve E mountedon the steering'column F and by an automatic air admission valve G. It should be here notedthat the valve G is carried by the piston H of the actuator, as may be seen with reference to Figs. 1 and 4. J

The semaphoresignal here shown is comprised of'a casing-6 carried by the bracket C, a semaphore signal arm larranged to swing intoand out of the casing and bearing plates 8v rotatably supporting the semaphore and in turn supported by the actuatorD. The actuator D includes a cylinder 9 which is supported by the casing 6 and bracket C, the plates 8 being secured to opposite sides of the cylinden-Extending from the piston H out through a stuffing box It! isza tubular rack bar-piston rod .H which meshes witha gear [2 on the semaphore l wherebyv to ac tuate the latter upon movement of. said piston.

The actuator D is designed to be operated by fluid pressure and as here shown is adapted tobe connectedwith the intake manifold of the automobile engine by means ot a pipe line, l3 leading to the control valve E, and a pipe line or lines generally indicated bythe numeral M which connects the valve E with the cylinder 9. 'Inas much as the movement of the piston H is effected sition, the piston H is maintained in its uppermost position. To'make a stop signal the operator turns the "handle I5 of the valve E to bring the rotary. valve plate 'I'! which is connected to the handle-by the drive elements l8 and i5, into the position shown in Fig. 4. In such position the radially extended groove '20 of said valve plate registers at its outer end with a port 2 5 formed in a stationaryvalve plate 22. It should be noted that the suction pipe line I3 is connected to a port 23 in the plate 22 and said port at all times is in registration withthe groove 20. The valve plate ll has a pinand slot connection indicated at El" in Fig. 4,'with the plate 22 whereby to guide the plate Ii intheturning thereof.'

One of the-lines 14 leads from port'Zl tea port 23 in the cylinder 9. As the piston H being above the port 23' when the foregoing valve operation is efiected, the portion of the cylinder below the piston will be evacuated and a sub-atmospheric pressure created in said portion by the ensuing suction action. To move the piston it is necessary to create a pressure above it, and in this instance atmospheric air is caused to enter thespace above the piston, through the passage 24 in the tubular piston rod ll. Before, however, air may enter the cylinder in thisrnanner the valve G must be opened. This valve includes two balls 25 and 26 in a passage 21 which extends vertically through the piston H, it being noted the piston has a reduced central appendage por tion 28. The passage 21 is substantially L-. shaped and the horizontal portion thereof communicates with the rod passage 24, through 2.

short passage 30. Ball 25 operates against a seat 3| to control the discharge of air below the piston, whereas ball 26 operates against a seat 32 to control the discharge of air through the vertical leg'of the passage 21 into the space above the piston.

As soon as the portion of the cylinder'below the piston becomes evacuated the ball 25 is forced the ball 26 and permit the latter to open as aforesaid.

Upon downward movement of the piston to the extent shown in Fig. 4 the port 23' is covered by the piston and the evacuation of the cylinder ceases whereupon the operative pressure fluid above the piston becomes ineffective to move the piston. Such movement of the piston moves the semaphore into the standard stop signal position indicated in Fig. 1. 'When it is desired to move the semaphore into horizontal or left turn position either from the non-signalling or stop signal position, the valve handle is moved to bring port groove 20 of plate I1 into registration with a port 36 in plate 22 whichport through one of the pipe lines I4 is connected withthe port 31 in the cylinder 9. This again causes the cylinder below the piston to be evacuated and the valve G again goes through the cycle of operation, as described hereinbefore, to permit the operating atmospheric pressure fluid to move the piston downward sumcient to move the semaphore into the said left turn'pos'ition, the movement of the piston ceasing when the piston covers said port 31.-

When it is desired to move the semaphore into the upwardly inclined right turn signal position, the valve handle is turned to bring groove 20 of plate ll into registration with port 39 in theplate "and the cylinder is again evacuated through port 39 and the valve G again operated until the bottom of the piston engages the bottom of the cylinder. Although the evacuation action will continue as long as the valve remains in right turn position the piston cannot move past the position it reaches necessary to effect said signaLthe port 39being left uncovered in this case, as said port must be open to admit the -is registered with port All which will 7 piston,

operating fluid if the piston is to be moved into its other signal positions or back to non-signalling position.

To move the semaphore into non-signalling position from said right turn position the operator moves the valve to bring valve groove 20 into registration with port 49 in plate 22 and the portion of the cylinder above the piston 15 evacuated through port 4| and one of the lines 84. Valve G now reverses its operation as ball 26 is closed by the atmospheric pressure behind it and the negative pressure in said upper part of the cylinder, whereas due to air'entering the cylinder through port 43, pinhole port 42 in valve plate ll, port 39, one of the pipe lines l4, and cylinder port 39, the ball 25 will drop away from its seat 3! and openthe passageZl. Atmosphericair now enters. the portion of the cylinder below piston H and operates to move said piston upward whereby to swing the semaphore back into the casing therefor. As the semaphore strikes the side of cylinder 9 (see Fig. 1), the movement of the piston is stopped with the'port 4| remaining uncovered by the piston, whereby the evacuation of the cylinder will continue and thereby hold the piston and semaphoreagainst unintentional movement. H

It should be noted that the piston maybe operated in either direction when the signalis-in stop and left turn positions andin all cases of upward'movement of the piston the portion of the cylinder below the piston will be .vented to the atmosphere through, pinhole 42 which, it is noted, will always register with the space below the piston while the passage or groove 20 the cylinder above the piston.

It will now be apparent that the apparatus of this invention will provide the advantages and objects hereof in a particularly efficient manner.

I claim: V '1. In a traflic signal, a movable signal member, a cylinder having ports therein, a. piston in said cylinder arranged to cover and'uncover certain of said ports, means of operative oonnectionrbetween said piston and 'said'signal member including a piston rod having an atmospheric air intake passage, said piston having a passage therein communicating with said intake passage and opening on the upper and lower sides of the said piston passage having a portion thereof horizontally disposed andprovided with opposed valve seats, valve means in said piston passage controlling the entrance of atmospheric air into the cylinder, and means operative through said ports for creating a differential in fluid pressures in said cylinder, said valve means comprising two ball valves located in said horizontal portion of said passage and cooperating with said seats, which latter are on opposite sides of the point of communication of the piston passage with the rod passage. V

2. In a traffic signal, a movable signal member, a. cylinder having ports therein, a piston in said cylinder arranged to cover and uncover certain of said ports, means of operative connection between said piston and said signal member including a piston rod having an atmospheric air intake passage, said piston having a passage therein communicating with said intake passage and opening on the upper and lower sides of the piston, valve means in said pitson passage controllingthe entrance of atmospheric air into the cylinder, and means for creating sub-atmospheric pressures in said cylinder selectively through any evacuate one of said ports, including means operating to maintain a sub-atmospheric pressure above the piston when the signal member is in non-signalling position, at which time said valve means permits atmospheric air to enter the lower part of the cylinder, through the rod and piston passages.

3. In a signal, a casing, an actuator mounted therein, bearing plates fixed to and extending upwardly from said actuator, a semaphore arm rotatably supported by said plates, and means of operative connection between the semaphore and said actuator.

4. In a signal, a movable signal membena cylinder having ports spaced apart lengthwise thereof, a piston reciprocatingly mounted in said cylinder and arranged to open and close certain of said ports during movement thereof, means of operative connection between said signal member and said piston, a valve casing, a stationary valve plate in said casing having ports corresponding in number to those of the cylinder conduits joining the cylinder ports with the valve ports, said plate having a suction port therein, a conduit for connecting said suction port with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, a rotary valve plate engaged upon the first named plate and having a groove therein disposed to be selectively registered with the valve ports and at all times in registration with the suction port, said means of operative connection including a piston rod having an atmospheric air intake passage therein, said piston having a passage therein registering between its ends with said piston rod passage and opening at its ends upon opposite sides of said piston, and a check valve in said piston passage, said rotor plate having an atmospheric air intake opening therein arranged to register with certain of said stationary valve plate ports.

FUSAJIRO MAMIYA. 

